Textile sliver doffing mechanism



April 1, 1969 E, sTlEPEL 3,435,485

TEXTILE SLIVER DOFFING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 7, 1967 COUNTER 42 IOB\FW44 I F OPEN SOLENOID RESET RESETZ' CLOSE VALVE 3 v SWITCH TIMER STOP MOTOR J38 MECHANI START START |2o 1'22 United States Patent 3,435,485 TEXTILE SLIVER DOFFING MECHANISM Erhard Edwin Stiepel, Clemson, S.C., assignor to Maremont Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 614,504 Int. Cl. D04h 11/00 US. Cl. 19-159 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The application discloses, in combination with textile sliver handling apparatus having sliver quantity sensing means, sliver delivery means, sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means for receiving sliver delivered by said sliver delivery means, and sliver receiving means changing means, responsive to the sliver quantity sensing means, for replacing a full silver receiving means at the sliver delivery means with an empty sliver receiving means, the improvement including accumulator means movable from inoperative into operative position spaced away from said sliver delivery means and interposed between the sliver delivery means and the sliver receiving means during operation of the sliver receiving means changing means, and accumulator operating means responsive to the sliver quantity sensing means.

This invention relates to textile sliver handling apparatus for temporarily accumulating coiled sliver continuously delivered by a coiler during the change from a full to an empty can in which it is to be stored in coiled configuration.

In normal practice, untwisted textile fiber sliver is delivered as from a drawing frame to a coiler can from a pair of calendar rolls through a tube gear. Both the tube gear and can may be rotated or the can may be stationary and the tube gear driven in an orbital pattern. When a can is full, it must be removed from beneath the tube gear and replaced by an empty can. With high sliver delivery speeds such as are associated with modern draw frames, the exchange of cans is difiicult, since at delivery speeds of upwards of 1,000 f.p.m., for example, even the short time needed to switch cans permits a sizeable length of sliver from a continuous delivery to spill over the full can and fall entangled and in general disorder into the empty can in such manner that it cannot be eifectively removed and is hence wasted. A quick, clean parting of the sliver between the cans is also difficult at such speeds. Solutions to these problems have involved wasting some of the sliver or stopping the delivery, both of which increase production cost, with the latter in addition causing a serious sliver discontinuity.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide apparatus for temporarily accumulating sliver while the delivery means and associated equipment, including the tube gear, continue to operate without reduction of speed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an apparatus which causes the sliver to be severed as the coiler cans are exchanged and which is automatically controlled and operated.

These objects are accomplished according to the invention by combining with textile sliver handling apparatus having sliver quantity sensing means, sliver delivery means, sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means for receiving sliver delivered by said sliver delivery means, and sliver receiving means changing means responsive to the sliver quantity sensing means, for replacing a full sliver receiving means at the sliver delivery means with an empty sliver receiving means, the improvement including 3,435,485 Patented Apr. 1, 1969 accumulator means moveable from inoperative into operative position spaced away from said sliver delivery means and interposed between the sliver delivery means and the sliver receiving means during operation of the sliver receiving means changing means and accumulator operating means responsive to the sliver quantity sensing means.

Preferred embodiments of the invention further include means for cleanly severing the sliver during package changing and means for resiliently supporting the accumulator means for better control of sliver during its accumulation thereon.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken together with the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of apparatus for temporarily accumulating sliver in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical control portion of the apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus of the invention may be utilized in conjunction with a conventional coiler having coiler can dofling means operated by a suitable sliver quantity sensor. Thus there are shown in FIG. 1 three coiler can positions 10, 12, and 14. Center position 12 has a rotatable turntable 16 having a raised center position 18 adapted to engage the usual bottom recess 20 on the coiler cans. Turntable 16 is driven in the usual manner by a transmission 22, for rotating a can 26 thereon. As shown, can 24 at position 10 is full of coiled sliver and cans 26 and 28 at positions 12 and 14 are empty. For

' replacing a full can on turntable 16 with an empty can from position 14, a conveyor, generally designated 30, is provided having arms 32 carried by endless chain 34 along track 36. Chain 34, driven by motor 38 through gear 40, moves cans 24, 26, and 28 in the leftward direction by means of arms 32. For delivering sliver in coiled configuration into can 26 on turntable 16, the usual coiler mechanism is provided for receiving sliver as from a high speed drawing frame. Such coiler includes, as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1, a pair of calendar rolls 42, 44 for receiving sliver S and delivering it into rotating sliver tube 46 for coiling thereby. Sliver tube 46 is also driven in the usual manner by transmission 22 which includes shaft 48 rotatable with gear 50 driven by gear 52; gear 52 is connected to pulley 54 which is driven by a belt 56 engaged with a driving mechanism not shown.

According to the invention, accumulator plate 58 is automatically moved into operative position beneath sliver tube 46 and spaced therefrom during the time a full can on turntable 16 is being replaced by an empty can for the purpose of severing the sliver to a full can and temporarily accumulating coiled sliver as continuously delivered by the sliver tube. When the can change has been completed, accumulator plate 58 is automatically moved to its inoperative position in such a manner that the sliver coiled thereon drops into the bottom of the empty can.

In order to accomplish this, accumulator plates 58 is mounted for sliding movement in a frame 60 by means of grooves 62, 64 in side members 66, 68, respectively, rotatably mounted on pivot pins 70, 72, respectively, on transverse member 74, FIG. 2. Accumulator plate 58 is driven to its operative position for accumulating sliver with its leading edge 76 against stop bar 78 by an air powered cylinder 80. In this position a portion of the sliver extending from -sliver tube 46 to the full can is caught 'between the stop bar 78 and edge 76 so that further movement of the full can away from sliver tube 46 will sever the sliver. Accumulator plate 58 is retracted to its inoperative position, wherein edge 76 is in line with wiper bar 82, positioned as shown on the side of plate 58 adjacent tube 46, by return spring 84 which biases piston 86, connected with accumulator plate 58 by rod toward the right end of cylinder 80. When solenoid valve 92, connected to a source of air pressure, not shown, shuts off the air pressure to air cylinder 80 through line 94, spring 84 withdraws accumulator plate 58 from its open ative position while wiper bar $32 prevents the accumulated sliver from moving with accumulator plate 58 thereby causing said accumulated sliver to fall into the can below.

The right end of frame 60 is pivotally mounted to transverse member 74 supported by post 96, which is positioned beside the path of the coiler cans to avoid interference with them as they are moved by conveyor 36.

The left end of frame 6% is supported by means of rod 98 with an enlarged flange portion 160 resiliently supported by spring 102 in housing 104. Housing 104 may be a part of the main structure 166 that also supports sliver tube 46. The lower end of rod 98 is attached to stop bar 78. This construction permits accumulator plate 58 to accommodate an amount of sliver in excess of the normal space between plate 58 and sliver tube 46.

The quantity of sliver supplied to sliver tube 46 by calendar rolls 42, 44 is sensed by counter 108 having a gear 110 engaged with a gear 112 on calendar roll 42. When a predetermined quantity of sliver has passed through rolls 42, 44-, counter 108 signals sequencing device 114, electrically, mechanically or otherwise, to move accumulator plate 58 into operative position and replace the full can with an empty one, FIG. 3. Sequencing device 114 includes a timer 120 and a switch mechanism 122 for coordinating retraction of accumulator plate 58 with the changing of the cans.

In operation, sliver S is supplied via calendar rolls 42, 44 to rotating sliver tube 46, which may be of the orbital type, and is deposited in a coiler can through the area defined by side members 66, 68, stop bar 78 and wiper bar 82. The quantity of sliver being delivered is sensed by counter 108 through gears 110, 112, and when a predetermined quantity has been delivered, a signal is trans mitted to reset counter 108 to begin a new sensing cycle, to set timer 120 to energize motor 38 to drive chain 34 and replace the full can beneath the accumultor plate 58 with an empty can, and to open solenoid valve 92 driving accumulator plate 58 to its operative position. As the full can is moved away, to the left in FIG. 1, a strain is placed on the sliver trapped between stop bar 73 and edge 76 of accumulator plate 58 that'causes the sliver to part.

When timer 120 reaches the predetermined setting designed to allow ample time for the changing of the cans to take place, it ceases energization of motor 38, and signals solenoid valve 92 to shut oif the air pressure over line 94, thereby permitting spring 84 to return accumulator plate 58 to its inoperative position. The accumulated sliver, prevented from moving with plate 58 by wiper bar 82, is left to fall neatly into the newly placed empty can at position 12. The quantity of accumulated sliver thus deposited is accounted for by counter 112 which began its next quantity sensing cycle simultaneously with its signalling of the termination of the last sensing cycle.

Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a coiler apparatus having:

sliver quantity sensing means,

support means for a can,

a rotary sliver tube for directing sliver into the can on said support means, and

can changing means, responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means for replacing a full can on said support means with an empty can, that improvement comprising: an accumulator plate movable into operative position spaced away from said sliver tube and positioned beneath said rotary sliver tube during operation of said can changing means, and

accumulator plate operating means responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means.

5 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for severing the sliver during operation of said changing IDEHHS.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said sliver quantity sensing means includes:

10 a counter, and

a sequencing device responsive to said counter, and said accumulator operating means responsive to said sequencing device, for moving said accumulator plate. 15

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said accumulator operating means includes an air powered spring return cylinder and further includes a solenoid valve responsive to said sequencing device for controlling air flow to said cylinder.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said support means includes a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis for rotating a can.

6. In combination with textile sliver handling apparatus having:

sliver delivery means for delivering sliver at a predetermined normal production rate,

changeable sliver receiving means for receiving sliver delivered at said predetermined rate by said sliver delivery means,

that improvement comprising:

means for accumulating sliver delivered at said predetermined normal production rate by said sliver delivery means during changing of said sliver receiving means, and

means cooperating with said accumulator means for thereafter depositing the accumulated sliver Within said sliver receiving means,

said accumulator means being movable between an inoperative position and an operative position interposed between said sliver delivery means and said sliver receiving means.

7. In combination with textile sliver handling app ratus having:

sliver quantity sensing means,

sliver delivery means,

sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means for receiving sliver delivered by said sliver delivery means, and

sliver receiving means changing means, responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means, for replacing a full sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means with an empty sliver receiving means, that improvement comprising: accumulator means movable from inoperative into operative position spaced away from said sliver delivery means and interposed between said sliver delivery means and said sliver receiving means during operation of said sliver receiving means changing means,

means for resiliently supporting said accumulator means for control of sliver during its accumulation thereon, and

accumulator operating means responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said accumulator means includes:

side supporting members,

an accumulator plate slidably supported by said side 70 supporting members for accumulating sliver, and

a wiper bar supported by said side supporting members in stationary relationship relative to said accumulator plate on the side thereof adjacent said sliver delivery means and intermediate said operative and inoperative positions;

and said means for resiliently supporting said accumulator includes:

a support for holding said side supporting members above said sliver receiving means by pivots at the ends of said side supporting members remote from said sliver delivery means, and

a spring supporting said ends of said side supporting members proximate said sliver delivery means for enabling said accumulator plate to rotate downwardly with said side supporting members about said pivots when the accumulation of sliver exceeds the space between said accumulator plate and said sliver delivery means.

9. In combination with textile sliver handling apparatus having:

sliver quantity sensing means,

sliver delivery means,

sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means for receiving sliver delivered by said sliver delivery means, and

sliver receiving means changing means, responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means, for replacing a full sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means with an empty sliver receiving means,

that improvement comprising:

accumulator means movable from inoperative into operative position spaced away from said sliver delivery means and interposed between said sliver delivery means and said sliver receiving means during operation of said sliver receiving means changing means, said accumulator means including side supporting members, an accumulator plate slidably supported by said side supporting members for accumulating sliver, and a wiper bar supported by said side supporting members in stationary relationship to said accumulator plate on the side thereof adjacent said sliver delivery means and intermediate said operative and inoperative positions; and

accumulator operating means responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said sliver receiving means changing means comprises:

a conveyor for moving said sliver receiving means and,

a motor responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means for driving said conveyor the distance required to remove one said sliver receiving means from at said sliver delivery means and to replace it with another after said accumulator plate has been advanced.

11. In combination with textile sliver handling apparatus having:

sliver quantity sensing means,

sliver delivery means,

sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means for receiving sliver delivered by said sliver delivery means, and

sliver receiving means changing means, responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means, for replacing a full sliver receiving means at said sliver delivery means with an empty sliver receiving means,

that improvement comprising:

accumulator means movable from inoperative into operative position spaced away from said sliver delivery means and interposed between said sliver delivery means and said sliver receiving means during operation of said sliver receiving means changing means, said accumulator means including side supporting members, an accumulator plate slidably supported by said side supporting members for accumulating sliver, and a Wiper 'bar supported by said side supporting members in slidable relation with said accumulator plate on the side thereof adjacent said sliver delivery means and intermediate said operative and inoperative positions;

accumulator operating means responsive to said sliver quantity sensing means; and

means for severing the sliver during operation of said sliver receiving means changing means, said severing means including a stop bar supported by said side members for contact with said sliver accumulator plate and trapping the sliver therebetween when said accumulator plate is in said operative position to accumulate sliver, causing the sliver to be severed during changing of said sliver receiving means.

12. In combination with textile sliver coiler apparatus having:

a rotary sliver tube with an outlet for delivery of sliver therefrom,

sliver receiving means positionable adjacent said outlet of said sliver tube for receiving sliver delivered therefrom, and

sliver receiving means changing means for replacing a full sliver receiving means adjacent said outlet of said sliver tube with an empty sliver receiving means,

that improvement comprising:

accumulator means movable from inoperative into operative position spaced away from said outlet of said sliver tube and interposed between said outlet and said sliver receiving means, and

means for moving said accumulator means from said inperative into said operative position thereof during operation of said sliver receiving means changing means, said accumulator means then accumulating sliver delivered from said outlet of said sliver tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,134,144 5/1964 Still.

poRsEY NEW roN, Primary Examiner, 

